March 2017 Upper Midwest Tornado Outbreak
Early March 13, 2017, a warm front attached to an upper level low traversed across the Upper Eastern Plains, bringing with it light rain showers and abnormally high temperatures for the Upper Midwest in states such as Ohio and Indiana. This warm air was quickly disturbed, when, that night, a cold front swept through the area and instantly dropped low-altitude temperatures by as much as 30 degrees, resulting in the formation of several thunderstorms in Illinois, Kentucky, and Western Indiana. On March 14, storms continued to fire up early in the morning, leading the NOAA to issue a High Risk Day of tornadoes when the first tornado, an EF0, was confirmed in Santa Claus, Indiana, at 11:17 A.M. EST. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was issued for the area eleven minutes prior, and soon after, a plethora of tornadoes developed in a variety of neighboring states over the next several days. In total, the outbreak lasted for over 48 hours and resulted in 56 confirmed tornadoes that resulted in billions of dollars of devastation and several fatalities. The first severe storm warning was issued for Washington County, Indiana after an EF0 tornado, the first of the outbreak was spotted just outside Santa Claus. A tornado warning was issued soon after. Throughout the day, more of the storm systems along the front became severe as characteristics of severe thunderstorms became more apparent. At the head of the front in Eastern Illinois and Western Indiana, straight-line winds exceeding 70 MPH caused power outages and downed trees, mainly in the Southern parts of these states. A house in North Vernon was the only one reported to have suffered damage from the storm, having had a blown-in garage door and shattered window. Soon after, a funnel cloud was reported in 4.8 miles away in Butlerville, Indiana, having been spotted near E Pike Street, close to the North Spur of Indiana's Historic Pathways. This pattern continued throughout the next several days as storms continued to fire and produce severe tornadoes across the region, eventually resulting in one of the most severe and devastating outbreaks of tornadoes the Upper Midwest had seen since the Super Outbreak of April 1974. Total Tornadoes Confirmed Outbreaks by State Indiana The storms were most intense in Indiana, resulting in the highest amount of tornadoes in that state opposed to any other during the outbreak. In addition to the list of tornadoes (see below), the storms themselves caused moderate to severe damage with strong, 70 MPH straight-line winds, large hailstones, and flash flooding due to nearly eleven inches of torrential rainfall. The storms themselves resulted in minor damage to homes and caused downed trees and electrical wires as well, resulting in sporadic power outages across Southern Indiana, where a multitude of violent tornadoes were reported, including the incredibly destructive Madison, Indiana EF5, one of the only two EF5 tornadoes that occurred during the outbreak. In total, Indiana suffered the most during the outbreak, having suffered over $200 billion in damages as well as losing several hundred lives. In total, Indiana had the most tornadoes out of any state during the outbreak, with a total of 24 tornadoes, three of which were EF2 or higher. The Madison, IN EF5 tornado was the worst tornado to strike the state since the Great Tri-State Tornado of 1925, surpassing the massive devastation spurred by that tornado. The Madison tornado formed late in the in the evening with little prior warning, leading to a plethora of untimely deaths all over the city. It was also one of the rare tornadoes to strike a large town and/or city. Another devastating tornado was the Indianapolis EF3, which plowed right through a section of the city, causing extensive sustained damage to structures and landmarks in the area while the storm passed through at peak intensity. In addition, the storm cells that produced the Indianapolis EF3 were the strongest, having caused torrential rains in the area, as well as claiming responsibility for minor damage to homes in the southwest end of the city after 80+ MPH straight-line winds caused slight damage to roof shingles and windows to homes in the area, as well as snapping some electrical wires, having caused minor power blackouts to the southern end of the city. The next round of storms were undoubtedly the most severe; a collection of HP Supercell thunderstorms in the midst of a rapidly-intensifying derecho. This line of storms produced the highest amount of tornadoes out of any other storm cell, however, most were fairly weak and not destructive. However, these same storms were also responsible for the production of the most destructive tornado in Indiana history: the Madison, IN EF5, which, soon after touching down, began to rapidly intensify as the night went on. At 11:12 P.M. EST, a Tornado Warning was once again issued for a widespread area including Madison, however, it may have been too late as the tornado tore through the center of town only seconds later. Severe-weather.jpg|The squall line in outside Santa Claus, Indiana; shortly before the first tornado was produced. Supercell with Tornado.jpg|Intense supercell thunderstorm with funnel cloud west of Greensboro, Indiana. Funnel 2.jpg|The EF0 in Southeast Santa Claus; the first tornado of many during the outbreak. F5 tornado 1992.png|The devastating Madison, IN EF5 tornado, backed by lightning late at night. The house from which this photo was taken was destroyed only minutes later. Indianapolis Tornado 2004.jpg|Intense EF1 tornado in Butlerville in the midst of a rain shaft. This storm later went on to cause damage to several surrounding communities and resulting in several deaths. Indianapolis Tornado Damage.jpg|Damage in downtown Indianapolis after an EF3 tornado ravaged the city. Kentucky A less-developed line of severe thunderstorms began pushing into Kentucky five hours after the first tornado touched down in Indiana. Eventually, the squall line began to develop into a derecho, having developed a well-defined hook echo on Doppler radar. Eventually, LP supercells began to develop in the storm's core, over Marion, Kentucky, where the first out of nine tornadoes to hit Kentucky during the outbreak formed. The town that bore the brunt of the damage from the Kentucky storm system was Covington - sustaining over hundreds of millions in damages from two very intense EF2 tornadoes, which spawned within minutes of each other. The southern edge of the city was devastated to the point where damage was heavy enough to be considered in the EF4 range. Due to heavy rain, low clouds, and heavy debris plumes, at times distinguishing the two tornadoes without radar proved to be difficult. Several of Covington's landmarks were not without loss. One of the tornadoes crossed over the Ohio River and caused heavy damage to to the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge, having compromised the structure's supports, thus resulting in it being deemed unsafe and requiring that the structure be torn down. In addition, several cars were blown off the bridge, causing an extensive number of fatalities. 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